The Big Picture

In the previous post I disclosed that "life for all" was the end result of God's plan for humanity, and "hell" verses, whilst also true, were part of the journey towards that end.

I thought it might be valuable to expand on that statement to explain my thinking.
Many of the verses quoted to contest the "life for all" promise are single verses embedded in a wider discussion, and are quoted in an attempt to cancel out the main thrust of that wider discussion.

Let's take Paul's letter to the Romans as an example of this wider discussion.
Paul begins by addressing the sinfulness of mankind, of both Jews and Gentiles, and God's judgement of it. By the time we get to Chapter 5, God's grace is shown to out-play mankind's sin through Jesus Christ's death and our inclusion in it.
By Chapter 11 God's mercy is declared to deal with our disobedience so that God finally achieves His goal, His end result.

Paul paints the Big Picture in just one verse near the end of this letter:

For from him and through him and to him are all things. 
To him be glory forever. Amen.
[Romans 11 : 36  ESV]

In less formal language:

Everything comes from the Lord. 
All things were made because of him and will return to him. 
Praise the Lord forever! Amen.
[Romans 11 : 36  CEV]

But along the way to this glorious end result, judgement is clearly part of the story.
Let's use Paul's letters to the Corinthians to see this.
Although we all have life, there is some cleaning up to be done on the way, which requires judgement:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
[2 Corinthians 5 : 16  ESV]

and fire:

each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 
[1 Corinthians 3 : 13  ESV]

But in keeping with the Big Picture:

If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 
If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
[1 Corinthians 3 : 14 - 15  ESV]

Some of us will reach God's "life for all" goal, with rewards, some without.
But God will achieve His desired result - life for all - and with all our rubbish removed.

Having the Saviour and Judge as the same person - Jesus Christ - sure has advantages, doesn't it?
Blessings, Barry
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